Crazy for comics and cosplay

BILLED AS THAILAND’S “biggest pop culture festival”, Thailand Comic Con returns to Siam Paragon for a three-day bash next weekend. 

Now in its third year, Thailand Comic Con will introduce the organiser’s new company, as well as a free magazine, online TV and an official website. It will also feature an army of Thai and foreign artists and costumed enthusiasts.

 “We have more power, more confidence and we are also better prepared this year. After the massive success of the last two editions, we are determined to put all our focus on pop culture. That’s why we’ve set up a new company called Hobbie+,” says Chanvit Vitayasamrit, the new company’s chief executive. “We will also be officially launching our free monthly magazine, 30,000 copies of which are already being distributed to restaurants and coffee shops around Bangkok and an online TV show that features visits to collectors’ home and overseas pop culture events as well as model kit reviews. We’ve also designed an official website totally dedicated to pop culture.” 

Last year, the Thailand Comic Con drew a total of 92,000 visitors.

The Thai notion of a comics convention is quite different from the other comics-focused events around the globe. Unlike the biggest and most famous, Comic-Con International in San Diego, California, which has previews of upcoming Hollywood superhero and fantasy films and is a haven for Western comics fans, the focus in Bangkok is mainly on Japanese manga and anime and Thai comics and entertainment. Comics figures like Batman or Spider-Man are mostly sidelined in favour of Japanese idol groups and visual kei rockers.

Japanese-influenced cosplay is hugely popular in Bangkok, and Thailand Comic Con will welcome the top five ranked by WorldCosplay.net.

At the very top is Akatsuki Tsukasa, followed closely by Mon from Taiwan. Next up is South Korea’s Aza Miyuko, who makes her own costumes and pushes the limits in costume fabrication. There’s also Reika from Japan, who has gained immense popularity from her beautiful androgynous portrayals of Jinguji Ren and Tokiya Ichinose from the Japanese visual novel series “Uta no Prince-sama”. Thailand’s Yuegene Fay will be there too and showing off her skill at portraying male characters from popular anime series.

In a first for the event, the Culture Ministry’s Department of Cultural Promotion is launching its Thailand Creative Showcase (TCS). It is made up of five components: Character Licensing, Character Design, Animation Timeline, Video Clip Contest and Interactive Exhibition Design.

“The animation timeline is essentially an exhibition of animation history, Thai comics history and contemporary characters. It includes ‘Dek Thai Kap IT’, which invites youngsters to use their imagination and create a video clip,” says Damrong Thongsom, the department’s deputy director-general. 

“We’re collaborating with the Thai Animation and Computer Graphics Association – TACGA – for the character licensing workshop, which will include talks by both Thai and foreign experts. The objective of the Thailand Creative Showcase is to develop Thailand’s entertainment business and digital content for the international market and to support the Culture Ministry’s creative media development programme.”

Contestants from Season 2 of “The Face Thailand”, including the winner Kanticha “Ticha” Chumma and runners-up Nichayawee “Jee” Phisanphongchana and Salita “Jukkoo” Klinchan will be on hand to meet and greet fans and perhaps share cosplay tips.

Jee is an avid reader of comic books and says her favourites include “Hunter x Hunter”, “One Piece”, and “Naruto”.

“The comic books don’t only provide entertainment but also an offer an interesting slant on the world. You can learn from them too,” she says.

“I’m a loyal fan of Naruto,” Ticha adds. “I think you can learn a lot from the characters. My younger brother and sister also love Naruto and we compete to collect the comics.”

Jukko prefers comics with a more international bias. “I love animated movies and my favourite character is the Joker, who is either a psychopath or a genius. I like Frankenstein too. Most people think he’s a bad guy but I think he’s a good nerd,” she says.

For gamers, the highlight of Thailand Comic Con will be the launch of the PlayStation action-adventure video games “Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End” from Sony and Capcom’s “Street Fighter 5”. A team from Team Razer, one of the world’s eSports pioneers, will offer its new products. 

Visitors will be introduced to the latest in Magic: the Gathering, the world’s No 1 card game, while the toy booths will offer limited edition Batman samurai action figures as well as other popular collectibles.

Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox will preview “Terra Formars”, a live-action adaptation of a popular manga series about colonists on Mars. Directed by Takashi Miike, the film was made in Iceland and stars actor, musician and idol Tomohisa Yamashita, better known as Yamapi to his legion of Thai fans.

Fans of Western comics will be serviced with a teaser from the upcoming Warner Bros movie “Suicide Squad”, which is based on a DC comic about a motley band of criminals and anti-heroes who are forced to team up for risky missions. Stars include Will Smith, Jai Courtney, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto as the Joker.

As ever, Thailand Comic Con will serve as a stage for youngsters to show off their creativity through contests on cosplay, cover dancing and Vanguard, currently the most popular card game in Thailand. There will also be model kits of Gunpla and Gundam.

Musical entertainment will be provided by Japanese artists Yumemiru Adolescence, Tokyo Girls, and Boys and Men, aided and abetted by the young stars of the Thai TV series “Hormones”, such as Teeradon “James” Supapunpinyo, Nichaphat “Pearwah” Chatchaipholrat, Wongrawee “Sky” Nateetorn, and Kanyawee “Thanerng” Songmuang.

 

 

BOX

 

-Thailand Comic Con is being held at Royal Paragon Hall on the fifth floor of Siam Paragon from April 22 to 24.

 

-Tickets cost Bt80 at the door.

http://thailandcomiccon.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thailandcomiccon

 

Geeking out around Asean

 

ALONG WITH THAILAND Comic Con, there are comics-focused events around Southeast Asia, giving fans more chances to take part in pop culture, cosplay and collecting. Here’s what coming your way in 2016.

 

Jakarta Comic Con

July 30-31, Jakarta Convention Centre 

 

Organised by the Thailand’s BEC-Tero and TrueVisions, the Jakarta Comic Con will feature displays by Hollywood studios and TV networks as well as comics, toys, games and more. Watch for updates at Twitter.com/jktcomiccon

 

 

Singapore Toy, Game & Comic Convention

September 11-12, Marina Bay Sands 

 

The worlds of toys, games, comics, anime, manga and collectibles collide in the ninth instalment of what’s billed as Singapore’s “biggest annual pop culture event”. Find out more at www.SingaporeTGCC.com

 

AsiaPOP Comicon, the Philippines

Responding to the Filipino, passion for pop culture, AsiaPOP Comic was launched last September in Manila and featured comic book stars David Mack, David Yardin, Whilce Portacio, and Leinil Yu alongside actors Paul Bettany, Nathalie Emmanuel, Colton Haynes and Jeremy Shada. 

Organisers say the 2016 event will be even busier and will return to its World Trade Centre, Pasay City home this September.

The dates will be announced soon at http://AsiaPopComiCon.com/manila

 

 

Gamestart Asia Singapore

Billed as Southeast Asia’s Premier Game Convention, last year’s event drew more than 17.000 visitors and featured booths manned by PlayStation, Ubisoft, Blizzard Entertainment and Bandai Namco Entertainment.

Now in its third year, the 2016 convention takes place from October 7 to 9 at the Suntech Convention Centre and promises a wealth of game previews, contests, tournament and cosplay exhibits.

Find out more at http://Gamestart.asia.

 

Indonesia Comic Con

Catering to Indonesian fans of pop culture from both East and West – from comics, anime, toys, collectibles, games and entertainment, Indonesia Comic Com is being held at the Jakarta Convention Centre in November. Dates are still to be confirmed. 

Visit www.IndonesiaComicCon.com

 

 

Shanghai Comic Convention

ReedPop, the world's largest producer of pop culture events, made its Chinese debut last year with the Shanghai Comic Convention and met with such resounding success that it is planning two events in 2016.

The inaugural Beijing Comic Convention is being held at the New China International Exhibition Centre on June 9 and 10, while the Shanghai Comic Convention returns to the Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Centre of International Sourcing on November 5 and 6.

 

Comic Fiesta (Malaysia)

One of the longest-running conventions in the region, Malaysia Comic Fiesta offers budding artists the space to show and sell their comic-related creations and is the largest amateur creative art market in the region. It also features industry talks, stage games and cosplay exhibits and competitions.

The date has yet to be announced but the convention is traditionally held in December.

Check for updates at http://ComicFiesta.org.